Central Annals of Public Health and Research Cite this article: Espósito M, Sakurai E, Lamounier JA, Teixeira RA, Bonomo É, et al. (2017) Retinol and Fat from Breast Milk of Brazilian Mothers at High Risk for Food Unsafe. Ann Public Health Res 4(3): 1063. *Corresponding author Mariana Araujo Esposito, Escola de Medicina da UFMG, Rua Nossa Senhora de Fatima, 46 /101 Olaria Lavras, 37200-000, Brazil, Tel: 5533991072087; Email: Submitted: 21 July 2016 Accepted: 06 June 2017 Published: 08 June 2017 Copyright © 2017 Espósito et al. OPEN ACCESS Keywords • Breast milk • HPLC • Retinol • Vitamin A deficiency • Breast-feeding Research Article Retinol and Fat from Breast Milk of Brazilian Mothers at High Risk for Food Unsafe Mariana Espósito 1 *, Emília Sakurai 2 , Joel Alves Lamounier 3 , Romero Alves Teixeira 4 , Élido Bonomo 5 , Camilo Adalton Mariano da Silva 5 , and Mariângela Carneiro 6 1 School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil 2 Institute of Exact Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil 3 Department of Pediatrics, Federal University of São João Del Rei, Brazil 4 Faculty of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valleys, Brazil 5 School of Nutrition, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Brazil 6 Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil Abstract Promotion and protection of breastfeeding is an important strategy in prevention of Vitamin A (Retinol) deficiency in childhood. Breast milk retinol’s allows us the chance to reach the maternal nutritional status and go over infant status. This study aimed to know the retinol and fat content in mature breast milk from Novo Cruzeiro’s population, Brazil. It was analyzes 63 samples of breast milk that belonged to 81 children. The fat content was reached by crematocrit procedure and Retinol content by HPLC. Others datas had gotten through semi-structured pre-coded questionnaires. Statistics analyses were performed non- parametric for paired samples. The median of Retinol was 0,62 µg/100mL and 1,7µg/100mL from breast milk before and after the infant had breastfed. The samples were considered statistically different (p<0,001) for Retinol contents and for fat contents (p<0,001). The results shows that Vitamin A’s content after the suck one , in each class of alimentary security, are strongly bigger than the content before suck (The Alimentary Security p=0,005; Light Unreliability p < 0,001; Moderate Unreliability p < 0,001; Deep Unreliability p< 0,001). The results suggest that the breast milk from the end of the suck provides greater retinol ingestion; breast milk before feed allows to reach The Brazilian Scale of Unreliability Alimentary. Although it is important to guide mothers to not interrupt the suck one and not to limit the manual expression only to initial breast milk. ABBREVIATIONS R: Retinol; VAD: Vitamin A Deficiency; BSUA: Brazilian Scale of Unreability Alimentary INTRODUCTION Breast milk is the complete food for the infant. Provides energy and nutrients in appropriate amounts for good nutrition during the first months of life [1]. The promotion and protection of breastfeeding is an important strategy for prevention of various diseases, especially in children who live in communities of low socio-economic conditions [2]. The lactation stages produce milk of different composition, classifying breast milk: colostrum (thick, yellowish fluid produced three to six days after birth), transitional milk (seven to 15 days after birth) and mature milk (produced in continuity with transitional milk) [3]. Its composition is relatively constant, although the content of some nutrient varies significantly throughout the lactation during the day and even along a single feed [4]. This occurs, for example, with Vitamin A [5,6]. The content of Vitamin A in breast milk can also be influenced by the time of feeding, since the latter are richer in fat, involved in nutrient uptake and transport of vitamin A [7,8]. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble compound and its form of alcohol is called Retinol. Several retinol precursors’ compounds are present in our diet, including the carotenoid stand out. Vitamin A also preformed is present in certain food sources, especially in the liver (stock in mammals) and milk (source for infants). The bioavailability of these different compounds is well known and equivalent forms are established that relates the measurement. Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major public health problem in developing countries. This deficiency is the leading cause of blindness could be prevented in children as well as being a factor that increases morbidity and mortality in the setting of infection [9]. Taking into account the nutritional demands increased during pregnancy and lactation, women in these phases, with marginal diets are more susceptible to VAD, thus integrating an epidemiological framework that can affect their children [10]. Assessment of vitamin A status of individuals and populations requires specific methodology and resources. Applications for laboratory research for measuring vitamin A and other fat- soluble vitamins have increased significantly [11]. The assessment of vitamin A status is done by measuring serum retinol concentration; however, this simple method is not a good indicator of hepatic retinol stocks, which usually needs